What to do if a bat flies into your apartment?

Interpretation of the bat symbol

In South America there live species of flying animals that feed on the blood of animals. Because of this, many peoples developed a fear of these unusual creatures. In Europe, bats feed on insects and do not harm people.

Symbolism of the image of a bat among different nations:

• darkness, blindness, sleep;
• death;
• black magic;
• running away from people;
• secrecy, mystery;
• mental anguish;
• night life;
• loneliness.

In ancient philosophy, a bat is a sign of vigilance, attentiveness, cunning and wisdom. In the minds of the ancient inhabitants of Babylon, the souls of the deceased return to earth in the form of winged animals.

Frightening superstitions about bats are associated with human fear of the unknown and a tendency to mystify. Many signs today are outdated.

Where do bats live and what do they eat?

Despite the fact that in everyday life most people (especially city dwellers) practically do not encounter bats and, as a rule, know almost nothing about them, bats make up approximately a quarter of the world’s mammal fauna and have long lived next to us.

Absolutely all representatives of this suborder Chiroptera, living in the European part of Russia, are completely harmless to humans and feed exclusively on insects, playing an important role in natural ecosystems, hunting in the dark and destroying pests of forests, fields, parks, gardens and vegetable gardens, as well as carriers of pathogens of dangerous diseases. And the animals eat a lot - the metabolism of bats is very intense, often the amount of food eaten per day is approximately half of its own body weight.

Small and medium-sized bats fly at speeds of 10 to 50 km/h while searching for prey.

What bats can you spot in your area? There are several species of them in our latitudes - usually they are small animals of brown, gray, red or brown color with a lighter belly and leathery membraned wings, “stretched” over thin and very long paw bones. They have funny “wrinkled” faces with small eyes and large or very large ears of complex shape.

Vision in bats is poorly developed, but exceptionally fine hearing in the range from 12 to 190,000 Hz is their “pride”. The mice themselves are also quite “talkative” - people with good hearing can easily hear their communication - tinkling and squeaking. In addition, if necessary, bats detect objects blocking their path, emitting abrupt ultrasounds, inaudible to humans, and picking up their echoes reflected from objects (echolocation).

Echolocation allows bats to control their flight altitude, maneuver in dense forests, find their way to shelter, and confidently pursue prey. Moreover, each species of these animals emits a signal on its own wavelength - they differ in the same way as the singing of birds.

By the way, about the songs that we mentioned at the beginning of the article - complex ultrasonic songs have actually been discovered in bats, which are performed for different purposes: when a male is courting a female, to recognize each other, to indicate social status, to determine the boundaries of a territory and to resist strangers, raising young ones.

These songs are reminiscent of birds, and among mammals, bats are the only ones other than humans that use such complex vocal sequences to communicate.

Almost all bats are nocturnal and sleep during the day, hanging upside down, in secure shelters. They do this because, due to the special fragile structure of their bones, the animals are completely defenseless on the ground and cannot move on their paws, pushing off from it. In addition, this position allows them to begin flight directly during the “fall.”

In winter, some bats migrate to warmer regions, while others fall into long-term seasonal hibernation (up to 8 months).

Bats live long enough for such small animals - 15-40 years. They mate in the fall, and in the spring the females give birth to 1-2 cubs.

The only danger to humans that these animals can pose is the transmission of the non-classical rabies virus and the fungus that causes histoplasmosis (a respiratory tract disease). To become infected with rabies, a mouse must bite you hard (which is generally not typical for them; even when sick, they, unlike all other carriers of the virus, do not rush at all living things, but, on the contrary, fall into apathy). To become infected with the fungus, you will have to inhale the crushed excrement of these animals, where the spores live. But let’s say right away that a person is much more likely to get this fungus from birds, both domestic and the ubiquitous wild birds (for example, starlings), in whose droppings it also reproduces well.

Superstitions of the Slavs

The bat, or bat, is associated among the Slavic peoples with evil spirits and evil spirits. The following signs are associated with winged animals:

• a bat flew into the house - trouble, illness;
• pick up a mouse and bring it to your home - bring poverty, anger, illness;
• a bat flew into a wedding - an unhappy family life, the death of one of the spouses;
• the animal flew around the house three times - the death of one of the family members, a fire, poverty.

Despite the negative attitude, bats in ancient times were revered as healers. Dried carcasses were used in rituals against the evil eye, spoilage, fever and other diseases.

A mouse flying into an apartment may indicate a deceased relative, he reminds of himself. You need to go to the cemetery and church, light a candle for the repose.

Bat repellents

For a private home

Option 1. Wait until the animals fly out of the home and seal the cracks through which they enter the house or into the attic (if mice have settled there). This can be done either with ordinary boards or with polyurethane foam. This is the most guaranteed way to drive them out of your home.

Option 2. You can try to smoke out unwanted neighbors. A smoker works well, but you shouldn’t overdo it. It will take 2-3 days to smoke mice, as they become too attached to their habitat.

Option 3. These animals are not friendly with water, so another effective remedy would be a shower with a hose for the entire flying family. This will also have to be done several times: bats do not immediately understand hints.

Option 4. Use special sprays or ultrasonic repellers. Although the help of the latter is often questionable, sprays always help. They should only be sprayed when there are no mice present.

You can combine both means - drive out mice using a spray and install an ultrasonic repeller to prevent them from returning.

Option 5. The most humane and profitable way for summer residents is to make a new home for mice near their garden and drive them out there. Thus, the animals will not disturb the residents and will continue to exterminate harmful insects.

For apartments

In apartments, animals usually live on balconies and in ventilation, so the method of smoking and plugging holes in the walls will be effective here too.

• Option 1. You can use bags of mothballs: bats cannot stand its smell. It will take a lot of “poisoning” them in this way, but eventually they will leave the apartment.
• Option 2. Call a special team. Its workers know what to do, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the floorboards where the bats have settled may be opened.

If a lone bat gets into the apartment, fighting it is unnecessary.
You just need to leave the room by opening the window first. The animal will quickly find a way out and fly out on its own. And in order to prevent bats from appearing in the house in the future, you can surround the entrances with fiberglass, which is an irritant to their skin. With such protection, you can forget about the Twilight family forever.

Superstitions of other peoples

Not all nations give bats a negative message. In China, if a creature enters a house, it promises enrichment, good luck, a good harvest, and the return of health.

In Feng Shui philosophy, the image of an animal is used to attract money. Among some African peoples, the appearance of a bat promises an addition to the family.

Unlike China, in Japan bats bring anxiety and problems into the home. In Western Europe, the animal is a harbinger of death.

Signs about bats and weather

The behavior of bats, like birds, depends on weather conditions. If birds fly low, it will rain. If a bat has flown into your house, you should also wait for weather changes.

Flocks of animals fly low until sunset - for sunny and warm weather. Winged mice are restless, hitting windows, flying into the apartment - a sign of heavy rain.

The signs of some peoples of South America are associated with weather changes. They associated the appearance of the animals with the beginning of the rainy season, strong winds, etc.

What to do if a mouse gets into the house

If you find a bat in your home, isolate it inside the room. Then put on thick gloves (these animals have very sharp teeth) and pick up a towel or blanket. Throw the cloth over the animal, then pick it up and place it in a box with very small holes. Take the mouse outside, away from houses, and release it into the wild.

It happens that the animal is injured or it is very cold outside. Then you need to take the mouse to the Chiropteran Rehabilitation Center. In the fall, be sure to close your windows before leaving home. If you are bitten by a bat, immediately treat the wound with an antiseptic and be sure to go to the hospital. These animals are carriers of dangerous diseases, including plague and rabies.

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Bat in a dream

Dreams about a bat have good and bad interpretations. It all depends on the plot and the behavior of the animal.

Interpretation of the symbol depending on the plot of the dream:

• a flying mouse in the night sky - bad news, danger, the machinations of the enemy;
• a flying mouse during the day means minor troubles;
• a huge mouse is a serious problem;
• an animal attacks, bites - a fight with an enemy, serious health problems;
• to fall due to a creature’s attack - loss, loss;
• throw a stone at an animal - see someone else's grief;
• defeat the bat - cleansing, liberation, a new beginning, exposing enemies;
• a flock pursues in the dark - strong fear, desire to run away from problems;
• sleeping animals - troubled times are coming;
• a bat flew into the apartment, flies around the room - moving, long journey;
• hanging head down - small problems will result in serious consequences.

According to esoteric and eastern dream interpreters, a bat means the awakening of intuition, the revelation of secrets. A bat in a dream can be a signal that you need to be attentive and show cunning in communicating with people.

From a psychological point of view, a bat in a dream indicates the dreamer’s secrecy. The symbol indicates the presence of phobias and complexes that need to be gotten rid of.

Methods for controlling bats in a house or apartment

Before learning all the ways to help remove bats from your home, it is important to try to catch the animal. Experts make several recommendations:

1. Children and animals must be taken to another room. Open the windows on the balcony or in other rooms, turning on the lights. Leave the space for a while so that the chiropteran animal calms down and flies out on its own.
2. The mammal may continue to fly around the house, so you need to wait for it to get tired and land on the floor or other flat surfaces. Do not knock it down with a broom or mop, as it can cause serious damage. You need to put gloves on your hands, take a cardboard box and slowly cover the bat. After a few minutes she will calm down, put cardboard under the bottom, holding the structure and turn the box over. In the summer, you can let the animal outside, preferably at night; during the rest of the year, it is better to transport the animal to the veterinarian.

These are the simplest methods to drive mammals out of your home. But there are other options, using chemical and physical means.

Physical

Such means involve catching bats yourself by hand, but if the home is inhabited by a colony in the country, then other methods must be used. An easy way to drive out an animal is to make your own net trap. It should be used in dachas where there are large trees. The process is simple:

1. A pair of trees is identified where bats fly most often.
2. A fishing net is stretched between them. It is necessary to use material with small cells.
3. Once hit, animals will become entangled in it.

Captured animals can be released far from home. The main disadvantage is that you need to monitor when the colony will fly. Most often it is after midnight, so there are certain difficulties. In addition, a loud squeak appears after being caught in the net.

Adhesive, electronic traps and traps

Traps, glue traps and other traps are still available for sale. Electronic models can be triggered by any vibration. Their job is to attract insects that bats consume. When touching the trap, the creature receives a voltage discharge.

Electronic devices

Electronic bat repellers are not considered very effective. The technique works by sending magnetic pulses through wires, but has no effect on animals.

Poisoned baits

If nothing helps in the fight, then poison can be used to get rid of bats on the balcony under wooden paneling. The method is not humane, but effective. The main disadvantage is that after eating the poison the animal will still move for a certain time. Therefore, after leaving from under the casing, it can end up in another hard-to-reach place, where it will die. If the body cannot be removed, the process of decomposition will begin.

Attention! The species of bats that live in the Russian Federation are considered safe for humans. They can be beneficial by feeding on mosquitoes, midges and insects, protecting crops in the country.

Modern means differ in their effectiveness. Aerosols and sprays can be used. They are used more for scaring than killing animals, but the effectiveness is not the highest. The drug “876 4-Pack Bat Repellent” from Bonide is the most effective among aerosols. The composition contains mint, which has an unpleasant odor for animals. After spraying, bats begin to leave their home and balcony forever.

Among simple remedies, it is recommended to use naphthalene. To do this, you need to cut a small piece of gauze or fabric 10x10 cm. Place mothballs and make a bag. Place it on the balcony or in other rooms around the house. Bats cannot tolerate this aroma, so they begin to leave their habitat.

Should I believe omens?

Our ancestors came up with scary signs about bats out of ignorance. They were afraid of mysterious, black animals with large wings. The combination of bird and mouse evoked mystical associations.

We now know a lot about bats and their behavior. There is no need to be afraid or expect death or other misfortune when they appear in the house. Many people keep bats in their apartments as pets. Nothing mystical happens in their families.

If you believe in omens, then only good ones. Thoughts about the negative bring trouble closer and fill life with anxiety.

First steps to deliverance

First you need to find their habitat in the house.

They usually live in the attic, in cracks in the wall, if bats are in the apartment - on the balcony, in floorboards and ventilation. They choose abandoned, dry places that have the necessary place to sleep (one where they can get caught and hang upside down).

The easiest way to find a bat's nest is by looking at excrement: they leave it near their home. In bats, droppings resemble dark powder, often with shiny elements on the surface - insect shells. If one is not observed, you can simply wait until dusk and track where they are flying from.

When the bats' shelter is found, you need to observe at what time they all leave it. If you don’t know this, you can lock the mice in a sealed crack forever, where their carcasses will begin to rot. Only after making sure that the whole family has flown off to hunt can you begin the process of disposal - depriving the mice of their sleeping places.

This is also interesting: What do bats eat? No, they are not all vampires!